BusinessLDN’s Coalition for International Travel brings together businesses from across sectors and cities to make a case for the role of global connectivity in the UK and the capital’s economic future.
It is vital for the UK’s economy that London re-establishes its place as the leading European hub for international travel and that the city is on a clear path to being a global leader in sustainable international travel.
Pre-Covid, international visitors brought £13bn to London’s economy and supported over 300,000 jobs. However, as the pandemic took its toll, overseas visits were hard hit and stood 73% lower in 2020, with spending down by 78%. The UK’s place as a global visitor attraction and trading nation must be rapidly set back on course.
As we look ahead, there is still work to do to ensure the fallout of the pandemic brings resourcing and border issues to light, post-Brexit protocols, and airspace modernisation. But there are also opportunities to become a leader in sustainable international travel. From the immediate challenges to the UK’s long-term competitiveness, it is critical to act now.
